Dubai buys a fifth of Cirque du Soleil

August 06, 2008 Dubai investors have acquired a 20% stake in Canada's Cirque du Soleil for an undisclosed sum. Property developer Nakheel, builder of about 300 palm-shaped islands off the Dubai coast, and Istithmar World Capital have purchased a minority stake that will leave control of the privately held circus troupe with founder Guy Laliberte. Montreal-based Cirque, which has annual sales of about $700 million and attracts nearly 10 million fans annually, had denied media reports in recent months that it was entertaining buyout offers, including from Dubai.

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